Remote control insect –

electrodes are attached to the insects left, right and back side, electric pulses are generated by a small wireless receiver on the insects back.
The insect actually becomes an actuator (similar to Robb’s experiments)

I think that that this experiment is interesting in two respects, firstly in that way that we, humans perceive these bionic insects. I think that people generally consider insects to be above robots on a sentient scale. But interestingly, Hofstadter describes that to most people, robotics / electronics is a total mystery, through ignorance they personify simple robots.   It would be interesting to see how these bionic insects are regarded by humans.

Secondly the potential to be able to harness the insects finely tuned senses and even its processing abilities. For it to be able to send back a visual / audio stream and be not only controlled but programmed with what we want it to do.

Input

“All that I am” is a piece by Koby Barhad. A Hair from Elvis Presley has been sequenced at a lab to identify different behavioural traits. Based on these results, transgenic mouse clones with the same traits are produced. The mice are then brought up in an environment designed to influence their behaviours.

If we look at the mouse as just a “processor” then this becomes an interesting exercise in a type machine learning as Weiner discussed.
How can we “programme” a moue like this through Genetic Engineering and then through developmental conditioning?

Creative output

intersting motion output